April 18, 2009
Janz, Olson, and Bixby for food and confab this week.
I’ve been too busy to blog lately, but I thought some of my readers might be interested to know that Matt Olson (Northland International University) and Jason Janz (Providence Bible Church, Denver) will be joining me for a platform discussion on Christian colleges at 3:00 Sunday afternoon in our church. Dr. Matt Olson will join me tomorrow for fellowship, preach in our church on Sunday, and have lunch with Jason and me after the morning worship service.
Two of the questions I’ll be asking Dr. Olson:
a. A growing number of pastors are getting discouraged with the whole concept of Bible college or Christian college. They are saying to themselves that they would rather their young people go to a local college and stay involved in their local church than to be re-shaped by a Christian college that is not in tune with their local church distinctions, yet there are many parents who feel much more comfortable with sending their kids to a Christian university. How do you think you can address the concerns of both parents and pastors?
b. Our young people are nurtured in the doctrines of grace (calvinism) and have been brought up to understand sanctification in away that precludes the necessity of the word “standards.” In fact, I would dare say that most of our young people are unfamiliar with the usage of that word as it is employed by many fundamentalist churches. Nonetheless, they understand sanctification as a progressive pursuit of conformity to Christ that is measured by the affections of the heart and not by the external practices of their sub-culture. Will young people with this kind of understanding be able to thrive at NIU? Will they face hostility toward a Calvinistic understanding of soteriology and an ecclesiology that teaches and practices plurality of elders?
Jason Janz has submitted some straight forward questions as well. I expect that our conversation will be lively, cordial, frank, honest, edifying, invigorating, and ultimately — I hope — unifying.
Posted by Bob Bixby at April 18, 2009 12:00 AM | eMail this entry! | 331 WordsThis entry was posted in the following categories:
Would love to be there, but I have obligations in the evening. Please give my regards to Matt Olson.
Posted by: Matthew Olmstead at April 18, 2009 04:55 PMWould love to be there, but I have obligations in the evening. Please give my regards to Matt Olson.
Posted by: Matthew Olmstead at April 18, 2009 04:55 PMHow long do you expect this platform discussion to last? We live an hour away, but I would love to attend.
Posted by: Joshua L Smith at April 18, 2009 09:29 PMSo, will we get a follow up on how that confab went last week? I’m interested.
Here, Here! We wait with bated breath.
Posted by: Eric at April 27, 2009 07:00 AM“and have been brought up to understand sanctification in a way that precludes the necessity of the word “standards. In fact, I would dare say that most of our young people are unfamiliar with the usage of that word as it is employed by many fundamentalist churches.” This is an excellent comment. I was raised in an environment, whether intentional or not, that made grace primarily a salvation issue. Sanctification and holiness were performance based. If you are really on fire for God you will do this, this, and this… and you won’t do this. The Cross was primarily the initiation. It got you saved, but the meat of the Christian life was found in deeper truths. What a liberating blessing to know that we are to “grow in GRACE and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Dr. Michael Barrett’s book Complete in Him was a great help to me in this area.
Posted by: Eric at April 27, 2009 10:21 PM
